The internet is an amazing thing with an infinite amount of uses, an each time we use the internet, we’re offered an incredible choice. We can choose to use it as a tool to nourish our minds and help us develop new skills. However, we often make the choice of using the internet for mindless entertainment that makes us ask ourselves what we did with the past hour. The problem goes deeper than losing time on Twitter or Youtube though, the way you use the internet literally changes your brain’s default mode of operating. Part of it has to do with how intimately your brain uses these tools. A 2010 article from the association of psychological science found that when you are using a tool, your brain doesn’t associate the tool as a separate object that you’re manipulating; it is treated as an extension of your body.

The internet is a more abstract tool, changing the way we think, not just what we think about. The recent internet environment is one that wires people’s brains for enhanced distractability. At all times you have multiple strands of notifications, advertisements and messages from friends – all things you can redirect your attention to. Our brains are naturally on alert for new information, and the more we’re exposed to this viral interface, the more our brain starts to respond to and crave these internet distractions. Most of us don’t stay on one tab/application for more than a few minutes.

Like you can exercise a muscle group, you can exercise different modes of thinking. Being distracted like this gets in the way of creative thinking and long spells of focus that are needed to complete fulfilling and ambitious tasks. You process information in your short term memory when you’re doing anything – from working on a business idea to reading a book. With enough time and uninterrupted practice, this information slowly trickles from your conscious short term memory to your subconscious long term memory. Only with the long term memory can you make insightful connections with other pieces of information you’ve stored previously.

Since attention is the key to this entire process, putting down the phone while trying to learn something new can engender that transfer of short term information holding to long term memory storage! (I highly recommend downloading the self control app)

Clara

This refined-sugar-free apple cake is made with layers of apple intermixed with a layer of a coconut flour batter and topped with cinnamon. This is a great way to use up coconut flour and it looks so delicious! It it served best with a custard, apple sauce/puree or frozen berries/coulis.

Ingredients
5 apples, thinly sliced
1 Tbs of cinnamon
½ cup coconut flour
¼ teaspoon of baking powder
6 eggs
½ cup coconut oil
½ tsp vanilla paste
⅛ tsp nutmeg
¼ cup stevia
(optional) 2 Tbs honey
2 Tbs coconut oil (one for greasing pan and one for topping)
Cinnamon to sprinkle on top

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan forced, or 180°C normal oven)
• Whisk eggs until fluffy then continue to whisk in the following ingredients: cinnamon, coconut flour, oil, vanilla, baking powder, nutmeg, stevia and honey (optional: may help bind it together a bit better)
• Grease a round cake tin with coconut oil.Spread ⅓ of cake batter on the base of the tin and place a layer of overlaid apple slices on top. Repeat the above step 3 times and for the final layer carefully overlay apple slices in circular rows (as shown in the pictures). Brush the top of the apples with coconut oil.
• Bake for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Let the cake cool for 10-15 minutes then run a knife around the edge to loosen it, then bring together the edges of both papers and holding the paper firmly carefully flip over.

Serve with custard, berries or apple sauce! Enjoy 🙂

Clara

Tea is an ancient herbal drink known for its stimulant qualities largely attributed to caffeine. In modern times, it also became touted as a health food allegedly helpful in preventing or ameliorating a variety of conditions, from heart disease and cancer, to gum disease, skin aging and weight loss. The major types of tea include black, green and white, differing by the method of harvesting and processing. The medicinal properties of tea are attributed to polyphenols called catechins. Green tea has more catechins than black tea (about 25% vs 4%), and these polyphenols are anti-inflammatory and have DNA repair capabilities which can correct cellular mutations caused by free radicals.

There have been a number of encouraging studies of skin benefits of green tea. Animal studies showed protection from skin cancer. Both animal and human studies have credibly demonstrated that topical green tea formulations reduce sun damage. Green tea appears to exert sun damage protection by reducing inflammation rather than by blocking UV rays. It may therefore enhance sun protection when used in addition to a sunscreen. A small study showed benefits of 2% polyphenone (via a particular type of green tea extract) in rosacea – a significant reduction in inflammatory lesion was reported compared to placebo.

What about wrinkles, skin sag and other signs of aging? Can green tea help? Considering their well-documented antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, topical green tea polyphenols are likely to slow down the development of some signs of aging – whether green tea can actually diminish wrinkles and skin sag is more uncertain, but there is evidence that green tea may inhibit enzymes whose excessive activity contributes to age-related degradation of the skin!

These skin healing benefits definitely contribute to green tea’s title as one of the healthiest drinks out there!

 

Clara

If you’re battling with weight loss, or just looking for recipes lower in carbohydrates, this post is for you! I’ve gathered together some great low carb recipes, as well as some easy food swaps, that would be worth trying if you are interested!

One of the easiest ways to lower the caloric contribution of the carbohydrates that you consume is to swap out higher carb foods for lower carb substitutes. If you often have sweet or fruit flavoured yogurt, try changing it for greek yogurt, which you can sweeten yourself with honey. This way you control the amount of carbs in the yogurt, and there are much less additives and ingredients to worry about. A recent trend is to swap out the buns/bread on sandwiches or burgers to lettuce leaves instead. This still holds your food together, but provide about 0.5g of carbs, and if you’re not too sure on this one, ditch the bun altogether and have a deconstructed burger! Cauliflower rice is much lower in carbs than regular rice, and full of great vitamins, and homemade mayo/sauces/marinates are always better alternatives than their store bought counterparts. Many people also find success in replacing sugar with stevia, and fruit juice with flavoured water.

Recipe wise, have a look at the following and see if you’d like to implement any into your weekly diet!

Cauliflower Garlic Bread

Salmon with Veggie Chips

Chia, Almond and Cacao Balls

Low Carb Pancakes

Vegetarian Zucchini Lasagna

Vegan Shepherds Pie

Hopefully this post has helped you if you are looking into lower carbohydrate meal options, but let me know either way! Happy cooking!

Ebony

Relying on your brain’s neuroplasticity, brain training can improve attention span, intelligence and problem-solving skills. With that being said, here are some simple ways for you to boost your brain power:

Limit multitasking
(for more about this check out my previous post) You’d think that multitasking would be good for your brain, right? Nope – people who multitask actually reduce their attention span, have difficulty changing tasks and are often unable to recall information. In this way, people who perform tasks one at a time are more competent and efficient.

Eat well
You are what you eat – nutrition directly affects your brain function. Like an expensive car, your brain functions best when it gets only premium fuel. Eating high-quality foods that contain lots of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants nourish the brain and protect it from oxidative stress — the cell-damaging “waste” (free radicals) that gets produced when the body uses up oxygen.

Learn something new and exercise your brain
Just like a physical work out, learning something new stimulates and exercises your brain by creating new neural pathways. This allows your brain to develop and grow, increasing your intelligence and providing you with a new or novel experience. Novel experiences tend to give you a rush of dopamine, the reward chemical, which can increase your motivation and boost your mood. If you’re looking to try something new, why not take up a new hobby or expand your academic horizons and enrol in a course. Upskilled is an online education provider which is perfect for busy individuals who don’t have the time to study full time on campus. With over 90 Nationally Recognised Qualifications across most disciplines, you can learn a wide range of new skills at your own pace!

Ensure you’re getting enough sleep
As if you needed another excuse to spend more time in bed! During your sleep cycle, your body regenerates your brain cells so it’s very important to go to bed early and enjoy the benefits of that REM sleep!

Exercise regularly
Not only does exercise give you that endorphin rush, it also helps to improve your memory, reduce inflammation and encourage the growth of new brain cells, and stop the decline of IQ with age!

 

Clara

 

In today’s fast paced world, it seems like everyone is stressed about something. There are so many things competing for our attention throughout the day, especially nowadays with social media and the constant flow of information and notifications all calling out to be noticed. It’s rare to get a moment of stillness in the day, but if you can make meditation a part of your routine, you’ll notice some staggerring benefits. How?

Meditation literally changes your brain. There are certain brain regions that become activated when you’re awake and at a state of rest (ie. your attention isn’t on external stimuli), known collectively as the default mode network. Activating these areas is achieved through meditation, and it’s associated with a range of positive effects. It slows the speed of your brain down to a state where it produces alpha waves, generating wakeful relaxation with a reduction of negative emotions like anxiety and tension. By fostering shifts in perspective and greater self awareness, mindfulness leads to positive mental health beyond simply helping to reduce stress.

Learning and memory processing receive a big boost from meditation, and it takes only weeks for these changes to set in. People who regularly stimulate their brain’s default mode network have increased grey matter on the left side of the brain, which is responsible for complex thought and problem solving. This was reflected in participants of one particular study; after completing an 8-week meditation program, the grey matter density in these areas of the brain increased, along with an improvement in their memory processing abilities!

In Buddhism, there is no separation between mind and body – they are interconnected as one. The benefits of meditation certainly reflect this; mindfulness training has been linked to lowered blood pressure. This is great for your heart, as it can better regulate blood flow depending on how much oxygen you need at the time. Meditation has also shown the potential to reduce the levels of stress hormones that can lead to inflammation, among a variety of other physical complications.

The benefits are emotional, cognitive and physical…. You can potentially transform your entire wellbeing through meditation! If you do one thing new this week, make it a simple 10 minuts of meditationbefore bed (not very long, so no excuses!). See how you feel 😀

 

Clara